Big Moments, Still One Step
by Kirabaros
Summary: The hardest thing about being valedictorian is writing the meaningful speech. Nick helps his son Nicky in discovering what it means to move beyond high school to college and eventually life. A father/son moment in honor of graduation and Father's Day.


**Big Moments, Still One Step**

_'I once heard a scientist say that moving through an experience that happens in life comes from taking each day one step at a time. Actually I heard it several times throughout my life and it sort of became engrained in my brain even though the words were meant for someone else at those times. As always they struck a chord for the one receiving those words. I should know because the scientist I'm referring to is my mom._

_ Mom has always been the person you'd go to if you want to make sense of something or if you need a firm reality check. She's the kind of person that only has to give a look and immediately you start reciting every wrong you did including the one you know you are in trouble for or you do what she asks or suffer the Southern hurricane… at least that's how Dad describes it. Dad always was in some sort of 'trouble' with Mom but nothing serious and they would laugh about it while we kids tried to figure out what was so funny. I guess that's what taught me to be so observant. Thank God for them._

_ Standing here at the threshold of a new chapter in life, I see how my mom's words make sense. Nothing happens overnight and the things that come are a result of us taking those steps. People are shaped by the events that occur in their life and this moment is a defining moment. We are about to embark into that scary world of college, work and eventually families of our own. Scary yes but one step at a time._

_ High school is just the beginning. It enables us to start off a new journey with memories of friends, the good times, the bad and maybe the ugly like what happened with the great manure incident with the Henderson's fertilizer. Now that we are about to graduate, we can tell ourselves that we are older and more mature and ready for new challenges._

_ It is a brave new world out there and we will make mistakes along the way. That's the way life is. It is one big adventure; a journey that we take one step at a time. Congratulations Class of 2030.'_

The boy overlooked his speech again and hummed at it. It felt like it was too short but it was to the point and conveyed what he wanted to say. He was at that point on whether or not to say more was either a good thing or a bad thing. He sat back in his chair and ran a hand through his short cut hair and massaged his head a bit. He glanced at the other attempts he had made and read them.

They all said something similar but it wasn't like this last attempt. They were varying lengths and different variations of the wording he use. Some of the best parts came from the longer pieces and the anecdote was from the shorter ones. No wonder he felt confused at his current draft. Being laid out was only confusing him so he did what he usually did when that happened.

Taking the first draft and the worst of them all, he crumbled the paper into a ball and tossed it behind him. He had done it before numerous times so he had the angle correct. He could make it with his eyes closed and he did and waited to hear the tap of paper in the waste basket. It came all right and it was followed by something else.

"Whoa, is that a two pointer or three pointer?"

The boy swiveled in his chair to see his father poking his head around the door and the ball of paper on the floor. He grinned, "How about an Aggie pointer?"

Nick Stokes couldn't help but laugh at that. His eldest son was like his mother with the jokes and like with his mother, he pretended to be stern even though he was laughing, "Nicholas Sage Stokes, you know the rule is to respect the alma mater."

"Mom doesn't. In fact she said that her Rebels are number one and still can kick Aggie butt." The boy gave a cheeky smile knowing that he could get away with teasing his father about his college alma mater.

Nick stepped into his son's room. "Nicky, your mom and me will always be at war with our alma maters."

"But ya still love each other," Nicky replied as he sorted the remaining papers on his desk. He reached over and picked up the pet tarantula that he owned and carefully put him back in the glass cage. "Sorry about the paper."

"No worries," Nick replied as he watched his son issue care on the tarantula. The boy loved anything associated with nature. His room had specimens of plants, models of skeletons and of course the tarantula. There was one area of his room that was dedicated to cars, classic cars and even the newer ones. He gave a slight shake of amusement as he continued, "Just wanted to make sure you were still here. You know when we don't hear bangs we worry."

"I'm still a scientist, Dad. Sometimes the experiments are quiet or on hold," Nicky replied.

"On hold?"

"Well I've been trying to write my speech," Nick admitted. He motioned over to his desk. "Funny how I can write a research paper but I can't write a speech."

Nick picked up one of the sheets of paper. It happened to be one that was full of scribbles. He hummed a bit. "Ah the no hitters before you strike gold. I know how that goes."

"Seriously Dad. It's hard. I mean when you talked to your suspects you always knew what to say. You know how to talk to Mom and Uncle Greg is a contender."

"That wasn't always so son," Nick replied. He rifled through and ended up picking up the one that Nicky had last been writing on. "There were a few times which I had no idea what to say."

"Really? When?"

"When I told your mom how I felt about her," Nick admitted, "And a few other things that were hard for me to admit to." He sat on his son's bed and was joined by Nicky. Boomer, the youngest of the dogs lifted his head for a moment and then went back to sleeping. "It has always been hard to admit my feelings about things that happened when I was younger and even harder to say something meaningful, which is what I'm assuming that you want your speech to be about."

"Yeah," Nicky admitted as he rubbed Boomer's head. "I know it's a bit clichéd with high school being the end and moving onto a new world, blah, blah but that basically is what life is, as Mom says, and this is a major marking in life, a major emphasis."

"And I agree with that," Nick said. "What do you think about it Nicky?"

Nicky thought about it somewhat. "Well I think it makes sense. I mean we make a choice and we live with the consequences of it and make choices based off that and the good and bad come and you learn to live with it. Some lessons take longer than others but we get through it. Remember when Sami broke her arm because of that bully?"

"And you broke the other kid's nose punching him? Yeah I remember." Nick remembered that incident well since it ended up leading to Nicky getting into a fight at school with the kids older brother. That also involved Eli and that ended up being a parent meeting of the century since Nicky and Eli's mom tag teamed on that one. "And you got into a fight with the kid's brother."

"Yeah," Nicky admitted, "But the point is I learned from it so when Luca was getting picked on, I handled it better. I think that's life and finishing high school is one of those milestones you reach."

Nick smiled at his son and ruffled his hair playfully and watched his son pretend to be tough and cool. "And seems like your mother rubbed off on you."

"Nah it was some guy from Texas that fell in love with my mom and he serenaded her with Spanish ballad," Nicky teased, remembering the story his father told him about a date that was more or less like a wild night with too much tequila. "He wooed her and somehow she agreed to marry him."

"You better watch it there," Nick teased in warning. "I won your mother back."

Nicky laughed since they both knew the Texan he was referring to was Nick. Nicky had never seen two people that were so happy together. Uncle Greg said that it was because it was instantaneous; instantaneous to everyone but them. "You always had Mom."

Nicky thought for a moment and it came to him. He knew what he was going to write for his speech. He looked at his father and said, "I think I know what I want to write for my speech."

"Go for it then," Nick replied as he stood up. He stayed back while Nicky grabbed his notebook and started writing. He handed his eldest the piece he had read. "I think this has a good basis."

"Well I have to give acknowledgement to the people that raised me from birth," Nicky grinned as he continued to write. "Besides it's their fault that I'm the valedictorian this year."

"And we're both proud of you," Nick replied. "I'll leave you to it. Dinner's in twenty. So…"

"Be washed and downstairs in seventeen," Nicky finished. He looked up and grinned at his father, "Otherwise I'd be considered late."

Nick made a motion with his hand in a placating fashion. "Alright, Alright." He headed towards the door and opened it. He paused to look at his son, busy writing. He could recall the day he was born. It was still a story told between the adults since it had been a rather scary day but Nicky was the bright light at the end of that tunnel. Then four years later, the twins Jordan and Sami came along and life was good.

Now his eldest was getting ready to graduate from high school and go off to college. That was a harsh reality for him since he was essentially kicking the baby out of the nest to learn to fly. Nick had many nights of that discussion and in the end it was mutual agreement between him and his wife, Sage. It would be hard but they were both proud of him, of all their children.

Pausing at the door Nick smiled as he remembered one last thing, "Oh by the way, your mother made her brownies."

Nicky looked up and put his notebook aside. He sprang from his bed and started chasing his father down the stairs. Nick was laughing as he raced his son towards the kitchen with Boomer on their heels. The speech of the decade could wait. Chocolate peanut butter brownies were sacred.

As Nick and Nicky enjoyed a brownie before dinner and hence spoiling their appetite, they looked at each other. Nicky could understand what his mother meant and he could tell that his father did too. Each day was one step in the great adventure called life.

* * *

**A/N:** Graduation is here and congrats to all who are graduating. Here is some fluff between father and son. Nick and Nicky Stokes talk about a few things. Enjoy.


End file.
